Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Jan. 6,1942. J. M. PELIKAN RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1940 ELI/SR E l Patented Jan. 6, 1942 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS John, M. Pelikan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale', Pa.,' a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 10, 1940, Serial No. 352,098

8 Claims.

My invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and it, has particular reference to the organization of such apparatus into 'railwaytraific controlling Systems of the class wherein the operation of arailway traflic controlling device such as a railway track switch is controlled by a control member located at a point remote fromthe device. I V

It has been proposed heretofore to control the operation of a traflic-controlling device from a remote point by providing operating means efiective to operate the device to aposition of correspondence with a polarized control relay connected in a controlcircuit suppliedwith current of one relative polarity or the other in accordance with the position of a control member 10- cated'at the remote point. Such proposed systems incorporate detector and approach looking for the polarizedcontrol circuit, and also incorporate other means so arranged that if the control member is moved while the locking is eifective, the other means becomes effective to prevent the polarized control circuit from being conditioned to cause the control relay to assume a position of correspondencewith the control member either at the time of movement of the member or subsequently when the locking is released, thereby requiring that thecontrol member be in a' position of correspondence with the device and the locking be ineffective in order to enable a movement of the control member'to obtain the desired operation of the controlling device. I I

Remote control systems of the above described class incorporating means for preventing storage .2

of control of the traffic; controlling device in the event that the control member is operated when the locking is effective, generally require that the control imember be operated from one position to the other within the slow release period 'of a relay which when released functions to prevent storage of control of the device, that is, it removes-the controlling device from control by the control member if the control memher is moved to a position out-[of correspondence with the controlling device when the locking is effective. This time limitation within which the control member must be moved is at times un desirable, since such control member usually is a lever operable between twoextreme positions and an accidental hesitation at the mid position of the lever, or a very slow lever movement by an operator; might enable the slow release relay to release and thereby prevent-the controlling device from being controlled to its desired position :1.

when the lever finally is movedto the new position. This loss of control resulting from the releasing of the storage preventing'relay when the lever is moved too slowly, has substantially the same effect upon the'operation of the device as if the locking were" effective and hence it might caues' the operator to become confused and conclude that'the electric locking is effective whereas in fact the loss of control is the result of unnecessarily slow lever movement.

,Inview'of the above+rnentioned and ther im-' portant considerations; it is an object of my present. invention to provide novel and improved means for railway trafiic controlling systems of the above described class, so arranged that a slow operation of the control member cannot cause loss, of control. of the controlling device.

Another object ofgmy' invention is to provide means for preventing storage of control in a remote control system without necessitating movement of the control member to be completed within a limited time. v 7

additional object of myv invention is to providenovel and. improved means for controlling a railwaytraiiic controlling device from a remote point, and wherein control of the device is established through the mediumof a manually operable control member of the ordinary acting type having contacts which'iare selectively closed in one or the other oftwo extreme positions and Y which contacts are openedwhen the lever is in a mid or center position intermediate the two extreme vpositions er. the lever.

A further object of my invention is'to provide novel and improved systems for controlling a railway traflic controlling device by. a' control member located. .at. a"remote point. i v

The above-mentionedand other important objects and characteristic"features of my invention which; will become readily apparent'from the following description; are attained in accord-' ance with my inventionby controlling the energization'of a polarized control relay over a control circuit'governed bya repeater relay, of the con trol member inlsuch manner that the',,control circuit is maintained energized during the movement of the control member from one extreme position to the other. This control of the energizationof the control circuit is effected by sup+ plying current of one relative polarity or the other to'the control circuit over contacts closed in .one position or the'o-ther of a two-position relay of theftype adapted to remain in its last operated positionvwhe'n deenergized and arranged to repeat the position "of the control member when and only when the polarized control relay is energized. A locking or storage preventing relay energized over a circuit completed only when the polarized relay is energized and provided with a pick-up circuit effective when the polarized relay is released and the control member and the two-position relay occupy corresponding relative positions, is also utilized and has a front contact interposed in the control circuit of the polarized relay, thereby requiring that the two-position relay and the control member occupy corresponding relative positions before the control circuit of the polarized relay can be conditioned to establish control over the polarized relay.

I shall describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified form of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1, and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the two views. a 1

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference character TS designates a railway trafiic controlling device which is adapted to be moved between a normal position and a reverse position by means of suitable operating mechanism controlled from a remote point. As herein shown, the device TS is a railway track switch which connects the rails of a main track X to the 'rails of a diverging track Y. The operation of switch TS is effected by means of a suitable switch operating mechanism SM, which may, for example, be an electric or an electropneumatic switch machine. Switch mechanism SM is controlled by suitable control means, such for example as by a polarized relay WR which in turn is controlled from a point remote from the switch location in a manner to be explained shortly, and it is deemed sufficient to state that when relay WR is energized by current of one relative polarity to close its front contact 4 and its normal polar contact 5-45, switch mechanism SM is controlled to operate the switch to its normal position, and thatwhen relay WR. is energized bycurrent of the opposite relative polarity to close its front contact 4 and its reverse polar contact 5,l, the switch mechanism is controlled to operate switch TS to its reverse position.

The reference character ITR designates a detector locking relay comprising a track relay connected in a track circuit provided for the section of track including switch TS. The reference characters ZLLSR and ZRLSR designate approach locking relays arranged to release when a train approaches the detector track section, and which relays are controlled, by circuits which form no part of my present invention but which may, for example, be similar to-the circuits shown provided for approach locking relays U and U in United States Letters Patent No. 1,929,047, granted on October 3, 1933, to Earl M; Allen and Charles A. Brooks, for Remote control apparatus.

The reference character V designates a control member comprising a manually operable lever having a normal position N and a reversefposition R. Lever V may,-for example, be a non-interlocked switch lever of an interlocking machine positioned at a point remote from switch TS, and it is provided with contacts selectively closed in accordance with theposition of the lever.

Each contact of lever V bears a reference character N or R, indicating the position of the lever in which such contacts are closed. For example, contact 9 of lever V bears the reference character N to indicate that this contact is closed when lever V is in its extreme normal position, while contact In of the lever bears the reference character R to indicate that the latter contact is closed when the lever occupies its extreme reverse position. Both contacts 9 and ID as well as contacts II and I2 are open when lever V is moved to its mid or center position intermediate its normal and reverse positions. Lever V functions, in a manner to be explained in detail presently, to control the supply of current of one relative polarity or the other to a polarized control circuit provided for switch control relay WR provided that traffic conditions adjacent switch TS are favorable for permitting operation of the switch.

. A two-position relay IWA of the type, such as, for example, the magnetic stick type, characterized by the fact that it remains in its last operated position when deenergized, is provided to repeat the position of lever V in the event that the control circuit of relay WR is conditioned to energize the latter relay. As shown, relay IWA is a two-winding relay effective when its normal winding is energized to operate its polar contact member 15 to its normal or left-hand position, as viewed in the drawing, and effective when its other or reverse winding is energized to operate its polar contact member to its reverse or righthand position, The manner in which relay IWA is controlled by lever V will be explained in detail presently, but at this time it should be pointed out that an auxiliary neutral relay IWB, connected in circuit with control relay IWR, is provided to condition relay IWA to follow lever V when and only when the circuit for relay WR is closed. I

A locking or storage preventing relay ILPR also is provided to prevent storage of control of the switch in the event that lever V is moved during the interval that operation of the switch is unsafe due to trafiic conditionsv adjacent the switch. 7 Having thus described the apparatus embodying my invention, I shall explain the manner in which it operates and shall at the same time trace the circuits over which the various parts of the apparatus are controlled.

In the normal condition of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1 of the drawing, lever V, repeater relay IWA, control relay WR, and switch TS occupy corresponding normal positions. A normal winding of repeater relay IWA is energized over a circuit which'may be traced from one terminal I! of battery SB through contact 9 of lever V closed in the normal position of the lever, right-hand terminal of relay IWA, normal winding of relay IWA, mid terminal of relay IWA and front contact 20 of relay lWB to mid-tap terminal IQ of battery SB, and as a result normal polar contact 14-15 of relay IWA is closed.

Locking relay ILPR also is energized over a circuit which passes from terminal I! of battery SB through normal polar contact l4--l5 of relay IWA, arm 22 of rectifier RX in its low resistance direction, the winding of relay ILPR, arm 23 of rectifier RX in its low resistance direction, and front contact 21 of relay IWB to mid-tap terminal l 9 of battery SB. The detector and approach locking relays I TR, ZLLSR and ZRLSR also are energized and are in their ineffective or inactive locking positions when there is no traffic ad jacent switch TS, with the result that the previously mentioned control circuit of relay WR is completed and relay WR is supplied with cur-' rent of normal polarity over its control circuit which extends from terminal I! of battery SB through normal polar contact I l-l of relay IWA, the winding of relay IWB, front contact 28 of relay ILPR, front contacts 29, and 3| of relays ZLLSR, ZRLSR and ITR, respectively, and the winding of relay WR to mid-tap terminal [9 of battery SB.

- With the apparatus of Fig. 1 in its normal condition, the switch TSmay be controlled to its reverse position by reversing lever V. When lever V is moved out of its normal position, contact 9 of the lever opens to open the energizing circuit of relay IWA, but relay IWA retains its polar contact member in its normal or last operated position, as pointed out previously, so that if the lever is held in its mid position wherein both normal and reverse contacts 9 and ID are open, contact I l-45 of relay IWA continues to complete the previously traced circuits of relays WR of relay IWA is supplied with current over a circuit which passes from. terminal 11 of battery SB through contact I0 of lever V, the left-hand terminal of relay IWA, the reverse winding of relay IWA, mid terminal of relay IWA and front contact 20 of relay IWB to mid-tap terminal ll! of the battery, and relay IWA accordingly is caused to operate its polar contact member l5 to its reverse position wherein reverse polar contact l5'l6 is closed, thereby reversing the polarity of current that is supplied to relay WR, as is readily apparent from an inspection of the drawing. The reversal of current polarity in the circuit of relay WR of course causes that relay to operate to its reverse position and thereby control switch mechanism SM to operate the switch to its reverse position.

W'hen relay IWA is reversed to cause the current in the control circuit of relay WR to be reversed in polarity, it also reverses the polarity of current supplied to rectifier RX, but due to the action of the rectifier, relay ILPR is supplied with current of the same polarity when relay I WA is in its reverse position as it receives when relay IWA is in its normal position. That is to say, with relay IWA in its reverse position, relay ILPR is energized over a circuit which extends from mid terminal I9 of battery SB through front contact 21 of relay IWB, arm 24 of rectifier RX, the winding of relay ILPR, arm 25 of rectifier RX and reverse polar contact I 5--l6 of relay IWA to terminal [8 of battery SB. The polarity of flux in relay ILPR accordingly does not .reverse and does not pass to zero so that as a result relay ILPR is held up when the polar contacts of relay IWA operate from one position to the other. In addition, relay ILPR is caused to be slow releasing due to the shunting action of rectifier RX connected across its terminals so that as a result when the polar armature of relay IWA operates from one position to the other to reverse the polarity of energization in the control circuit of relay WR, relay ILPR remains picked up even though relay IWB might momentarily release,

due to the reversal of the flux polarity in its winding, to open the circuit of relay ILPR. However, with relay ILPR picked up, even if relay IWB drops due'to the reversal of flux in its winding, the latter relay immediately picks up in series with relay WR and relay IWB accordingly closes its front contacts 20 and 21 to complete the previously traced circuits of relays IWA and ILPR.

' When lever V, repeater relay IWA, control relay WR and switch TS are in corresponding reverse positions, as assumed above, the switch may be operated back to its normal position by restoring lever V to its normal position. The operation of the apparatus when lever V is restored to its normal position is believed to be obvious from an inspection of the drawing, and further detailed description is believed to be unnecessary.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that relay WR is reversibly energized over a circuit controlled by control lever V in such manner that the circuit remains energized during the interval that the lever is intermediate its two extreme positions. It follows, therefore, that there is no limitation placed upon the time within which the lever must be moved in order to retain control of the switch control relay, but rather the" lever may be moved as slowly as it is desired.

In the event that the apparatus of Fig. 1 is in its normal condition, as shown, and a train approaches the switch to release approach locking relay 2LLSR or ZRLSR, or if the train occupies the section including the switch so that relay ITR releases, the previously traced control circuit is opened and relays WR and IWB become released. Under such'assumed condition, if. the operator moves lever V to its reverse position, the locking provided by the approach and/or detector locking relays prevents operation of the switch at this time, and also conditions the apparatus so that when the locking subsequently becomes ineffective, control of the switch is restored to the operatoronly after the lever is restored to its position of correspondence with the switch. This protection against storage of control of the switch is effected upon movement of the lever when the locking is efiective, due to the fact that when relay IWB is released, relay IWA does not follow the movement of lever V since its circuit is open at front contact 20 of relay IWB. Also with relay IWB released to open its front contact 21, and with lever V in its reverse position out'of correspondence with the normal or last operated position of relay IWA, relay ILPR is open circuited and releases to open its front contact 28 interposed in the control circuit of relay WR. When, therefore, the approach and/or detector locking becomes ineffective so that relays 2LLSR, ZRLSR and ITR are picked up, the control circuit of relay WR cannot become completed and relay IWB cannot pick up to complete the circuit which permits relay IWA to follow the movement of lever V.

In order to regain control of relay WR after the locking becomes ineffective, the operator must restore lever V to its position of correspondence with relay IWA and relayWR. If this is done, relay ILPR is provided with a circuit which extends from one outer terminal I! of battery SB through normal polar contact across the entire battery SB, but by proportioning resistor 32, connected in series with relay ILPR, to have a resistance substantially equal to the resistance of relay ILPR, the current flow to the relay is limited to a value substantially that supplied to the relay whenever it is connected across either half of battery SB. Relay ILPR of course picks up due to the current supplied over the above traced circuit, and closes its front contact 28 to complete the control circuit of relay WR, whereupon both relays WR and IWB pick up. The energization of relay lWBclOses its front contact 20, thereby completing the energizing circuit of relay IWA to condition that relay to follow the movement of lever V, and also closes front contact 2! to complete the previously traced energizing circuit of relay ILPR, which relay accordingly is held energized by current supplied from only one-half of battery SB since resistor 32 is connected across the other half of the battery.

Similarly, with lever V, relay IWA, relay WR and switch TS occupying corresponding reverse positions, a movement of lever V to its normal position when the traffic locking is effective, causes relay ILPR to release and remain released after the locking becomes released, until the lever is restored to its position of correspondence with relay IWA, thereby preventing storage of control if the lever is moved during the interval that the locking is effective.

Fig. 2 represents a modified arrangement of the apparatus of Fig. 1, wherein a front contact 33 of relay ILPR is introduced in the energizing circuit of relay lWA,'and the energizing circuits of relay ILPR are modified to provide relay ILPR with a stick circuit, which holds that relay energized during movement of lever V from one extreme position to the other, and a pick-up circuit completed only if lever V andrelay IWA are in corresponding relative positions.

Referring now to Fig. 2, relay ILPR is provided with a stick circuit extending from terminal ll of battery SB through the winding of relay ILPR, front contact 31 of relay ILPR, and front contact 20 of relay IWB to terminal IQ of battery SB. When lever V and relay IWA occupy corresponding normal positions, relay ILPR is provided with a pick-up circuit passing from terminal I! of battery SB through the Winding of relay ILPR, normal polar contact 36-44 of relay IWA, and lever contact ['2 closed in the normal position of the lever to terminal I9 of battery SB; and with lever V and relay IWA in corresponding reverse positions, relay ILPR is provided with a pick-up circuit extending from terminal I! of battery SB through the winding of relay ILPR, reverse polar contact 3635 of relay IWA, and lever contact H to terminal I!) of battery SB. It is to be noted that the polarity of current supplied to relay ILPR when lever V and relay IWA occupy corresponding normal positions is the same as that supplied to the relay when the lever and relay IWA occupy corresponding reverse positions and also is the same as that supplied over its stick circuit. It follows, therefore, that when lever V is moved from one extreme position to the other to cause relay IWA to follow the lever movement, relay ILPR is retained energized by its stick circuit during the transit of the polar armature of relay IWA, and that since the polarity of current supplied to relay ILPR. is not reversed when relay IWA operates its polar armature, relay ILPR. remains all) energized to condition the control circuit of switch control relay WR to be completed.

The apparatus of Fig. 2 functions in a manner similar to that explained in detail in connection with Fig. l, to establish control over relay WR and to prevent storage of control in the event that lever V is moved out of correspondence with relay IWA during the interval that the traflic locking is effective to release relays IWB and WR, and further detailed explanation of the operation of the apparatus of Fig. 2 is believed to be unnecessary.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that apparatus embodying my invention provides means for controlling a trafiic controlling device from a remote point in such manner that storage of control is prevented by means which is independent of the time of operation of the remote control lever. It follows, therefore, that an operator cannot lose control of the device due to a slow lever movement, so that if the lever movement is not effective to cause the operation of the device, the operator is assured that such operation is not prevented because of a slow lever movement, thereby decreasing the possibility of confusion regarding the cause of the loss of operation of the device.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of railway trafllc controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a two-position manually operable control member for controlling a polarized control relay to a position of correspondence with the member, a railway traffic controlling device controlled to a position of correspondence with said control relay, a contact responsive to trafiic conditions adjacent said device and closed only when conditions are favorable for operating said device, a two-position magnetic stick relay having a normal and a reverse position, means controlled by said control member for reversibly operating said two-position relay into correspondence with said member, another relay, and circuit means controlled by said two-position relay and including the winding of said other relay and said trailiic controlled contact for energizing said polarized control relay with current of normal or reverse polarity according assaid two-position relay is in its normal or reverse position respectively, said circuit means being effective upon movement of said control member to reverse the polarity of current supplied to said polarized control relay provided said other relay is energized to close its front contact, whereby to cause said polarized relay to operate to a position of correspondence with said control member when and only when said control member is moved during the interval that said traffic controlled contact is closed.

2. In combination with a railway trafiic controlling device, a polarized relay for controlling said device, a traffic controlled relay, an auxiliary relay, a two-position relay of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, a manually controllable member having a first and a second position for reversibly operating said two-position relay over a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another relay nor-' mally energized over a circuit including a front other relay and a contact of said trafiic controlled relay.

3. In combination with a railway trafiic controlling device, a polarized relay for controlling said device, a lock means for preventing operation of said control relay, an auxiliary relay, a two-position relay of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, a

manually controllable member for reversibly op-- erating said two-position relay over a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another relay en'- ergized over a circuit including a front contact of said auxiliary relay and provided with a pickup circuit effective when and only when said member and said two-position relay are in corresponding relative positions, and means, effective when said lock means is ineffective, to reversibly energize said control relay over a circuit controlled by said lock means and said two-position relay and including the winding of said auxiliary relay and a front contact of said other relay.

4. In combination with a railway traffic controlling device, a polarized relay for said device, a contact controlled by trafiic conditions adjacent said device and closed only when traffic conditions are favorable for operating the device, an auxiliary relay, a two-position relay of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, a manually controllable lever for reversibly energizing said two-position relay over a circuit including a front contactof said auxiliary relay, another relay normally energized over a circuit including a contact of said two-position relay and a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another energizing circuit for.

said other relay effective when and only when said lever and. said contact of the two-position relay occupy corresponding relative positions and said auxiliary relay is released, and means controlled by said two-position relay for reversibly operating said polarized relay over a circuit including a front contact of said other relay and the winding of said auxiliary relay as well as said trafiic controlled contact.

5. In combination with a railway traflic controlling device, a polarized relay for said device, a contact controlled by traflic conditions adjacent said device and closed only when trafiic conditions are favorable for operating the device, an auxiliary relay, a two-position relay of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, a manually controllable lever for reversibly energizing said two-position relay over a circuit including a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another relay energized over a circuit including a contact of said two-position relay and a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another energizing circuit for said other relay including a contact of said lever anda contact of said two-position relay and effective when and only when said lever and said two-position relay occupy corresponding relative positions, and means controlled by said two-position relay for reversibly operating said polarized relay over a circuit including a front contact of said other relay and the winding of said auxiliary relay as Well as said traffic controlled contact.

6. In combination with a railway traffic controlling device, a polarized relay for said device, a contact controlled by trafiic conditions adjacent said device and closed only when trafiic conditions are favorable for operating the device, an auxiliary relay, a two-position relay of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, a manually controllable lever for reversibly energizing said two-position relay over a circuit including a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another relay energized over a stick circuit including a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another energizing circuit for said other relay including a contact of said lever and a contact of said two-position relay and effective when and only when said lever and said two-position relay occupy corresponding relative positions, and means controlled by said two-position relay for reversibly operating said polarized relay over a circuit including a front contact of said other relay and the winding of said auxiliary relay as well as said traflic controlled contact.

7. In combination with a railway trafiic controlling device, a polarized relay for said device, a contact controlled by traffic conditions adjacent said device and closed only when traffic conditions are favorable for operating the device, an auxiliary relay, a two-position relay of the type which remains in. its last operated position when deenergized, a manually controllable lever for reversibly energizing said two-position relay over a circuit including a front contact of said auxiliary relay, another relay energized over a circuit having two branch paths both of which include the winding of said other relay and one of which includes a front contact of that relay and a front contact of said auxiliary relay and the other path of which includes a contact of said lever and a contact of said two-position lever, said other path being effective when and only when said lever and said two-position relay occupy corresponding relative positions, and means controlled by said two-position relay for reversibly operating said polarized relay over a circuit including a front contact of said other relay and the winding of said auxiliary relay as well as said traffic controlled contact.

8. In combination, a manually operable control member for controlling a polarized control relay into correspondence with the member, a railway trafiic controlling device controlled into correspondence with said control relay, means effective when active to lock said control relay against operation, a two-position relay of the type which remains in its last operated position when deenergized, means controlled by said control member for reversibly operating said twoposition relay into correspondence with said member, and means controlled by said two-position relay for reversibly energizing said control relay over a circuit which may be closed when said lock means is inactive and which if closed remains closed when said member is moved intermediate its control positions, said last mentioned means including storage preventing means controlled by said lock means and active, after said lock means becomes inactive, to prevent operation of said control relay into correspondence with said member if said member is out of correspondence with said switch when said lock means becomes inactive.

JOHN M. PELIKAN. 

